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(Corpus Christi, Texas)-In March 2015, five local duck hunters pleaded guilty in Federal court to illegal hunting within the boundaries of Padre Island National Seashore. The hunters were charged with illegally discharging a firearm within a National Park and for the illegal taking and possession of wildlife in two separate November 2014 incidents.Each of the individuals was fined a total of $300.

"The National Park Service tasks its employees and volunteers with the preservation and protection of our natural resources. Stopping those hunting within our boundaries is an important part of the protection of our wildlife as well as the visiting public," said Padre Island National Seashore Superintendent Mark Spier.

The hunters were discovered in the northernmost section of the park along the Laguna Madre, adjacent to lands then owned by the Texas GLO. In one incident, three hunters were contacted the week prior when Park Rangers discovered them building a duck blind just outside of the park boundary. Park Rangers advised those individuals of the regulations and boundary issues at the time, but just one week later those hunters were found hunting in the National Seashore. In the second incident, hunters disregarded clearly marked boundary postings and were caught by Park Rangers actively hunting beyond the posted signs.

In addition to fines, three of the five hunters also face state charges from Texas Parks and Wildlife for exceeding daily possession limits. A sixth hunter, a minor, received warnings for the above listed violations.

About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 407 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice. -NPS-